Connected: An Internet Encyclopedia
RFC 1421 - Patent Statement

Top: Connected: An Internet Encyclopedia
Up: Requests For Comments
Up: RFC 1421
Prev: NOTES
Next: Security Considerations

### Patent Statement

This version of Privacy Enhanced Mail (PEM) relies on the use of patented public key encryption technology for authentication and encryption. The Internet Standards Process as defined in RFC 1310 requires a written statement from the Patent holder that a license will be made available to applicants under reasonable terms and conditions prior to approving a specification as a Proposed, Draft or Internet Standard.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University have granted Public Key Partners (PKP) exclusive sub-licensing rights to the following patents issued in the United States, and all of their corresponding foreign patents:

          Cryptographic Apparatus and Method
          ("Diffie-Hellman")............................... No. 4,200,770

          Public Key Cryptographic Apparatus
          and Method ("Hellman-Merkle").................... No. 4,218,582

          Cryptographic Communications System and
          Method ("RSA")................................... No. 4,405,829

          Exponential Cryptographic Apparatus
          and Method ("Hellman-Pohlig").................... No. 4,424,414

These patents are stated by PKP to cover all known methods of practicing the art of Public Key encryption, including the variations collectively known as El Gamal.

Public Key Partners has provided written assurance to the Internet Society that parties will be able to obtain, under reasonable, nondiscriminatory terms, the right to use the technology covered by these patents. This assurance is documented in RFC 1170 titled "Public Key Standards and Licenses". A copy of the written assurance dated April 20, 1990, may be obtained from the Internet Assigned Number Authority (IANA).

The Internet Society, Internet Architecture Board, Internet Engineering Steering Group and the Corporation for National Research Initiatives take no position on the validity or scope of the patents and patent applications, nor on the appropriateness of the terms of the assurance. The Internet Society and other groups mentioned above have not made any determination as to any other intellectual property rights which may apply to the practice of this standard. Any further consideration of these matters is the user's own responsibility.

Next: Security Considerations

Connected: An Internet Encyclopedia
RFC 1421 - Patent Statement